Now On Exhibit!

The Smithsonian Community Reef
A Satellite of the worldwide Hyperbolic Crochet Coral Reef Project, created by Margaret and Christine Wertheim of the Institute For Figuring in Los Angeles

The Putnam Museum is thrilled to announce the arrival of the Smithsonian Community Reef. The SCR is a satellite of the Hyperbolic Crochet Coral Reef project, created by Margaret and Christine Wertheim of the Institute for Figuring, utilizing crochet techniques with hyperbolic geometry to create complex, natural-looking forms, drawing connections between exhibited reef and living corals, such as the Great Barrier Reef in Australia.

The SCR is one of the many satellite reefs created in communities around the globe. Amazingly, all of the reefs are created with crocheted pieces. More than 800 participants from around the country and the world created over 4,000 pieces of coral for this endeavor and a large number of the contributors also helped construct the SCR. These satellite reefs are made in the months leading up to an exhibition of the Hyperbolic Crochet Coral Reef project.